Amusement device



Feb. 21, 1933. ,1 COWIE 1,898,868

AMUSEMENT DEV ICE Filed sept. 9, 1929 s sheets-sheet 1 Feb. 21, 1933. A COWlE 1,898,868

' AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Filed Sept. 9, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 J7 A:il

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Patented Feb. 21', 1933 UNITED STTES PATENT OFFICE ALEXANDER COWIE, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE R. ROBERTS, F REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA AMUSEMENT DEVICE Application filed September 9, 1929. SeralNo. 391,205.

be a newmotion in amusement rides whichy has not heretofore been accomplished with other types of amusement devices.

These objects I accomplish with the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar numerals and letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the sevkeral views and as described in the specification forming a. part of this application and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings in which I have shown the best and most preferred manner of building my invention Figure 1v is a side elevation of the device. Figure 2 is a section diametrically and vertically through the device. Figure 3is a perspective plan view showing the plan of the rotating members, parts cut away.

In the drawings I have shown the base on which my device is mounted as A, and in Figure 2 a suppo-rt base or floor as B. Centrally in the said base I mount a support bearing 1, which bearing is formed into two separate bearings 2 and 3 with each bearing formed into a bifurcated end 4 and 5 with the bifurcated end 1 carrying an upright shaft 6 and the end 5 carrying an upright shaft 7. On the ytop side ofthe bearing portion 2 I set a cylindrical support block 8 and above the top end of the block 8 I set a support bearing block and bracket 9 which block 9 has tripod legs 10 extending outwardly therefrom to support the bracket from all-sides, and with the block 8 to support it in the center. In the top of the said bracket 9 I provide a ball race 11 having balls 11a therein within which race the upright shaft 6 is carried and rotated, and above which bearing I place a ring gear 12 which gear 12 is secured on the bottom side of'a block or bracket 13b. yThe bottom side of the ring gear rests on the top side ofthe balls 11a. On'the bracket 13a there are spider braces or support bars 13 which extend upwardly and outwardly to where they are joined to an annular angled ring track 15. One of the brackets 13a is much shorter than the bracket 13 and the other two side brackets are the same length but are longer than the bracket 13a and shorter than the bracket 13 thereby setting the track on an angle of approximately forty-five degrees at all times. Radial arms 111 extend from the inner edge of the track to a block 15a which block 15a is rotated around the upper end of the upright shaft 6. Just below the block 15a I provide a ball race 16 in which balls 17 are .carried, the balls 17 being to support the block 15a and to allow for rotation of the shaft 6 therewithin. Below the race 16 I mount a support ring 18 and between the bottom of the ring 18 and the top side of the block 12a I provide a support cylindrical tubing 19 to aid in supporting the block 15a. y The armsll are made similarly to the arms 13 with one short arm, two equal arms and one long arm. Should more arms be required they may be spaced in between the arms shown and made the proper length to support the ring track in its proper position.

On one side of the bracket 9 I provide a bearing block 20 which block supports the `top end of the shaft 7, and on the eXtreme top end of the said shaft 7 I mount a pinion 21 which pinion 21 ha-s the teeth thereof meshing with the teeth of the ring gear 12 at all times. @n.the bottom end of the shaft 7 between the bifurcated end of the bearing 5 I provide a bevel gear 22 which gear meshes with another bevel gear 23. The gear 23 is carried on a horizontal shaft 24 which shaft 24 is supported by suitable bearings 25 and which shaft is controlled by a brake drum 26 and a clutch 27. A gear wheel 28 is carried on the end of the clutch shaft and Vsaid gear meshes with a driving gear 29, which gear 29 is driven by a shaft 30 from a motor M, or which shaft may be driven by a belt and pulley if so desired.

Another gear wheel 31 is mounted on a shaft 32 and the gear 31 meshes with the driving gear 29 and is carried on a shaft 32 which shaft is supported by suitable bearings 33 and which shaft has a bevel gear 34 secured on the free end thereof. Another 300 bevel gear is mounted on the lower end of the upright shaft 6 and meshes with the gear 34 to impart motion to the shaft 6 from the motor M, and a clutch 37 and brake 38 is mounted in the shaft 32 to control the motion thereof.

On the top end of the shaft 6 I provide a universal joint 40 which joint 4() has the top segment thereof formed lin a dome 41 of a circular casting 42. The said casting 42 has oblique arms 43 and 44 extending therefrom on four, six, or eight different sides thereof and the said arms 43 and 44 are secured to the casting 42 with their end portions adjacent and the outer ends of the arms diverging from each other, extending beyond the track 15 and are spaced apart by bars 45. Onto the said bars I then mount my aeroplanes D which aeroplanes will each be provided with seats in which the passengers may ride. The planes are made in the usual shape of a plane either monoplane or biplane and may be made in any other form desired. On the bottom side of the front arm 43 I secure a casting 49 which casting has roller bearings 46 carried therein parallel to the arm, which bearing is adapted to roll on the top side of the track 15, and another roller bearing 47 is mounted in said casting with the` axis at right angles to the bearing 46 and the said bearing 47 is adapted to engage with and rotate around the outer periphery7 of the angled track 15. An inwardly curved retaining bar 48 is formed on the inner side of said casting and the end of said arm is extended down and inwardly around the inner periphery of the edge of the ring 15 with the inner face of the bar 48 adapted to run on the under side of the said track to prevent the bearing from raising off from the track. A single roller is mounted on the under side of the bar 44 to support the rearof the plane on the track 15.

. Tie rods 49 are attached from the arms 44 to the arms '43 of the next plane to hold the outer periphery of the planes iny proper position at all times and to brace them correctly and around the outer end of the arms 43 and 44 I provide a ring of metal 50 running the entire distance around the outer ends of all the rods to aid in tying the rods and arms together.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

The riders are `placed in the planes and the motor started. The clutch 37 is engaged driving the shaft 32 and the shaft 6. This rotates the planes around the ring 15 without the rin changing its position and is the means o allowing the passengers to enter the lIJlailes. The planes will be lowered one at a time to the lowest position where the passengers may enter from a ladder or from a latform. After the passengers are all 1n heplanes the planes may be rotated on the one circle iving the passengers the thrill of a climb, a ank on the top part of the circle, a nose dive on the opposite side and an imitation side slip on the lower side. The operator may then enga e the clutch 27 which rotates the shaft 7 an the track 15 through the intermediate parts of the device and as the driving wheel 29 is between the wheels 28 and 31 the shafts 24 and 32rotate in the same directions. This makes the planes move forward in one direction while the track 15 will be rotated in the opposite direction, which will give the passengers the motion of nearly a vertical drop or nose dive, a sharp bank, or side slip, a sharp climb and another sharp bank giving the passengers all the thrill of flying. The operator may then stop the shaft 32 from rotating and rotate the shaft 24. This rotates the track but not the planes. The planes will be held in one position but will rise, bank sharply, fall nearly vertically and bank sharply at'the bottom. This construction and method of running the device will give the passengers nearly all the motion of a real plane in the air.

Having thus described my invention I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim:

l. In a device of the class described the combination of spaced apart planes mounted for rotation at an oblique an le to a vertical axis to rotate therearoun a track on which said planes rotate, said track set at an angle to the horizontal lane; and means to rotate said planes or said) track as desired.

2. In a device of the class described the combination of a vertical shaft, means to rotate said shaft; a set of spaced apart planes mounted pivotally on said shaft to rotate therewith; a track rotatable in the o posite direction from said planes, said trac set at an an 1e to the vertical shaft to give the planes ne simulated motion of an aeroplane. v

3. Ina device of the class described the combination of a track set at an oblique angle and mounted for rotation abouta vertical axis; a set of planes carried on said track; means to rotate said lanes or hold them stationary'on said trac said rotation being in a direction opposite to the rotation of the track; and means to rotate said track or hold it stationary as desired.

4. In a device of the class described the combination of a vertical shaft mounted for rotation; a set of planes mount-ed pivotally to the top end of said shaft to rotate therewith; means to rotate said shaft; a track on which said planes are operated said track being set in an oblique angle to said shaft; means to rotate said track in a direction opposite to the rotation of said shaft.

In testimony whereof I havey aixed my signature.

ALEXANDER COWIE. 

